UK basketball players team up for pair of money-making ventures — and some charity
With Kentucky basketball players jumping collectively into name, image and likeness opportunities not once but twice, they welcomed the newfound chance to make money.
Of players around the country able to profit off NIL, Keion Brooks said, “I think it’s a great opportunity for players to finally be compensated somewhat for what they’re doing for the university and (for) how much hard work and time they put in dedicating themselves to their craft to get better.”
When asked what players can learn from the NIL process, Brooks said, “you’ve got to be smart with everything you’re doing.”
The combination of NIL money and financial acumen prompted teammate Lance Ware to mention something that hasn’t been stated frequently since the NCAA began permitting athletes to profit off their sporting fame beginning on July 1.
The learning curve includes “how you have to pay your taxes,” Ware said. “We’re learning about that. That’s been big in how to manage your money.”
The first of the UK players’ group NIL ventures began Friday with what’s being called the Players First Fantasy Experience.
This used to be known as Kentucky Coach John Calipari’s Fantasy Camp. Reinvented as an NIL opportunity, it gives this year’s 48 participants a taste of what it’s like to be a UK player. The entry fee was $7,500, although some participants had corporate sponsors.
The other NIL opportunity, the Fans First Fan Fest, was originally scheduled to be in Rupp Arena on Aug. 22. A scheduling conflict caused it to be rescheduled. It was announced Friday that it will be held Sept. 18 at Transylvania’s Clive M. Beck Center.
Rupp Arena was available on that date. Greg Lazaroff, the vice president of NIL for 63Marketing/ProCamps, did not give a specific reason for the change in venue.
Ticket prices, whether student tickets will be available and whether the event at Transy will be televised will be announced at a later date, Lazaroff said.
The UK players will donate 10 percent of the money they make from the NIL events to charitable causes, it was announced.
“As a team, that’s what we came up with,” Ware said. “We’re being put in the position where we can make some money, so giving back is always good.
“When we came up with the idea, everybody was all the way in, and that it was great.”
It hasn’t been determined which charities will receive the donations, Ware added.
Meanwhile, two of the participants in this weekend’s Players First Fantasy Experience spoke of enjoying the activities.
Participants are “treated like we are college players the entire weekend,” said Marcus Kelly, who lives in Kansas City and works for the Air Charter Service, which takes teams to road games. “We use all the facilities: locker room, training room, film room.”
Participants are divided into four teams, who will compete.
When asked if the participants were playing for anything, Kelly’s response was the polar opposite of NIL.
“Pride,” he said.
This story was originally published August 27, 2021 at 4:16 PM.
